Rovers I Match Report

League match
Sunday	2009-10-18	14:30
Rovers I	2 (0) - 1 (1)	DJK Fasangarten
Manager: John Herbert

Re: Sunday 18th October Rovers I v Fasangarten, Rovers II v Azadi
October 18, 2009, 10:19:42 PM by Mark Lovell

5***** Rovers

Mark Lovell
Adrian Patton (Capt.), Darren Maloney, Nathan Sluman,? Luke Sobek
Max Dewitt, Geoff Poulton, Denis McArdle, Steven Meyer
Greg Sach
Richard Clare

subs - David Akin (for Clare 65) Darren Cannon (for Patton 75) Marius Kraus (for Meyer 80)

Goals - Sach, Dewitt
Assists - Poulton, Sobek

Rovers firsts made it five consecutive victories with a hard fought win on the Arthur Ashe at Shawshank Solln.

The visitors from Savage Garden took a surprise lead after 20 mins when Polo was deceived and the Head Gardener finished with aplomb.

Rovers took time to recover from the shock of conceding and it was never pretty on the Cassius Clay.

Sach fresh from his brace last week should really have equalised but took a heavy touch when the goal beckoned. Poulton nodded wide as Rovers huffed and puffed but it was a little too hectic with the visitors happy to kill the clock and waste time instead of pushing on for more goals, fun and frolics. Selber Schuld Savage Garden.

The ref did well to maintain control of the game as tempers frayed in the bog with various toys being discarded on the pitch and on the respective sidelines. Coach Herbert imparted a few precious wise words at HT and the Rovers came out with renewed resolve looking to turn the game around.

More huffing and puffing ensued with Rovers lacking the killer final touch with the Garden goalkeeper having a good game between the sticks.

Maxwell De Witt tested with a rasping strike but the keeper was equal to it with a good parry. Atkins after successful completion of his diet was introduced for the hardworking Clare Rich with 25minutes to go with almost immediate rewards. Atkins going down in instalments to win a free kick - a fine delivery from Frank Maloney, little eyebrows from Sobek and Sach shouldered the ball in. Nice set play. 1- 1 Game on.

This tipped the scales in the Rovers favour and the visitors garden was now looking less than rosy. Soon after Max was played in by a slide rule/eye of needle ball from Poulton and the intelligent Lancastrian fired home right footed after an incisive Rovers break. Just ten minutes remaining and the Rovers now in the box seat.

A few squeaky bum moments in the last passages of play but the Rovers were not to be denied and sealed the three points to move into a play off place (3rd).
A good battling victory - coming from behind is always a little sweeter (no jokes), battling the elements, the clay and organised visiting Gardeners.

Next week Rovers travel to Croatia looking to make it six of the best. 1230KO. Not to Zagreb though thankfully.